As the tastes and demands of chocolate consumers evolve, so too must the range offered to them by retailers if sales are to be maximised.
Despite the growing trend towards healthier consumption and increasing legislative pressure, confectionery remains one of biggest food and drink categories in convenience as well as being the most impulsive category of all [CTT, 2017]. And long may it continue as there is still a place for indulgent treats as part of a wider balanced diet.
Chocolate will forever be an affordable, everyday treat and sharing formats, like bags and tablets, are now key with bags being the fastest growing standard chocolate segment [Nielsen, Oct 2018].
Susan Nash, Trade Communications Manager at category leader Mondelez International comments: “Mondelez is helping drive growth through its Cadbury and Green & Black’s brands and we have recently introduced new size £1 promotional price-marked packs within our chocolate bags range.”
The new £1 (RSP) 95g PMPs are now available across some of the company’s best-selling bags: Cadbury Dairy Milk Giant Buttons, Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramel Nibbles, Cadbury Twirl Bites, Cadbury Bitsa Wispa and Terry’s Chocolate Orange Minis.
Stay on trend
The premium market is the fastest-growing chocolate segment that is incremental and is bringing in new, higher value shoppers. To capitalise on this popularity, Green and Black’s, which is growing at 11.1% [Nielsen, May 2018], launched two new singles bars last summer: the Green & Black’s Truffle and the Green & Black’s Praline.
The tablets segment is also growing (up 3.2% [Nielsen, Oct 2018]). Building on the success of Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreo in tablets, the brand brought a new twist to the market in 2018 – Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreo Sandwich. The launch has already driven £2.6m RSV sales since its launch in February 2018 – and the PMP format aims to build on this success.
Life stages
“Research has identified that as we go through different life-stages, our tastebuds change,” says Nash. “This is true for many foods such as olives and coffee, and some consumers increasingly look for a richer tasting chocolate with a higher cocoa percentage vs milk chocolate.”
To capitalise on this, Cadbury Darkmilk was launched, made with 40% cocoa. This new tablet combines a robust hit of cocoa combined with a creamy and smooth taste. The range launched with two variants – Cadbury Darkmilk Original and Cadbury Darkmilk Almond and a was recently bolstered with a third variant, Cadbury Darkmilk Salted Caramel – plus two new single 35g bars to help drive impulse sales. These singles will also be available in a PMP format, which will help stand-out on shelf while boosting customer trust with the convenience of clear pricing.
January this year saw the return of an old favourite, Cadbury Bournville Orange. First launched in 1927, the bar is now a permanent offering for the brand to tap into the trend for orange chocolate. Cadbury Bournville is also now available as a PMP which will ensure stand-out on shelf and boost customer trust.
Confectionery is one of biggest food and drink categories in convenience and the category is the most impulsive, so availability and display are really important.
The main confectionery fixture should be easy to shop, in a highly visible location. Follow the basics below to maximise sales in the category and capture the attention of shoppers.
Focus on the bestselling lines:
- Have a range that covers all need states: self-eat, sharing and gifting confectionery
- Place best sellers in the bestselling area
- Use manufacturers’ point of sale material
- Make the most of brand investment – have displays in store when consumers will be most aware of products as a result of advertising or media investment
- Don’t forget the basics; keep fully stocked and keep the display tidy
- Group products with similar attributes adjacent to each other
For more information on how to maximise your confectionery sales, go to: deliciousdisplay.co.uk.
